A 45 minute meal prep plan for the week

Meal prep works best when it creates options rather than five identical containers. In 45 focused minutes, you can prepare a small set of components that become bowls, wraps, salads, and quick dinners.

Cook in parallel

Start a grain first, then season a tray of vegetables and a protein for the oven. While they cook, wash salad leaves and blend a yoghurt-herb or tahini-lemon sauce.

Choose ingredients with overlapping cooking temperatures. Chicken or tofu, peppers, courgettes, and onions can share one tray while rice or quinoa cooks separately.

Store for texture and safety

Cool cooked food before sealing it, refrigerate promptly, and keep dressings separate. Store three days of portions in the fridge and freeze later servings if needed.

Change the final format each day: serve the components in a grain bowl, wrap them in a flatbread, add them to leaves, or warm them with stock for a fast soup.

Put it into practice

• Choose one protein, one grain, and three vegetables.
• Prepare two contrasting sauces for variety.
• Label refrigerated and frozen portions with the date.

Start with one change, track how it feels for two weeks, and adjust from evidence rather than perfection. Sustainable progress is built through repeatable choices.